1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an image-processing system for image-processing slips using drop-out colors.
2. Description of the Related Art
Character readers deal with slips, on which frames and symbols are printed in commonly termed drop-out colors. The drop-out color means a color which can not be sensed by photoelectric converters of the character reader. When a slip with frames and symbols printed in drop-out colors is inputted to a character reader, the character reader reads out only entered characters through photoelectric conversion by ignoring what is printed with drop-out colors.
In the event if a drop-out color used for a slip is not dropped out for some reason, the frames and symbols printed in such drop-out color on the slip are inputted to a character recognition section of the character reader. In this case, the character recognition section can not read out or only partly read out characters entered in the slip. If characters written on a slip can not be read out, it is sometimes more efficient to stop the reading of the character reader and input the written characters from a keyboard or the like. Therefore, if a drop-out color is not dropped out, the pertinent slip should be quickly discharged from the character reader, and this fact (i.e., failure of the drop-out of the drop-out color) should be quickly reported to the operator.
Prior-art photoelectric converters, however, do not have any circuit for checking whether a drop-out color has been dropped out. Therefore, the operator can recognize the failure of drop-out of a drop-out color only when a large number of characters incapable of reading are generated. In addition, in such a case the operator must feed out the slip.
There in well-known a system, in which slip data are transmitted form a plurality of facsimile terminals to a facsimile key station, in which the received image data is read out by a character reader. In such a system, the plurality of facsimile terminals are of various specifications and installed in a variety of places. Therefore, there is high possibility of transmission of slip data to the receiving facsimile apparatus without drop-out of a drop-out color. Again in this case, the frames or the like of the slip are inputted to the character recognition section of the character reader. In such a system, therefore, there is a high demand for the provision of means for checking whether a drop-out color has been actually dropped out.